Table 1Transition record

hydropower engineertosubstation engineer

A hydropower engineer already meets 35% of what the substation engineer role asks for. The move turns on 14 required skills not yet in the profile.

From hydropower engineer

35%

Overlap1

To substation engineer

12 Skills carried over

14 Required, not held

68.2 Difficulty2

Career overlap Distant match

35%

Learning distance Substantial retraining

68.2/ 100

Easy adjacentmoderatesubstantialcareer change Hard

1 Share of the substation engineer role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the hydropower engineer profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Why

Why this move works

A substation engineer role treats 11 of its required skills as things a hydropower engineer already does. These are the ones it depends on most.

approve engineering design
design electric power systems
electrical power safety regulations
engineering principles
inspect facility sites
manage engineering project

What stands in the way is 14 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 12 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A substation engineer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a hydropower engineer background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held design electric power systems communication, collaboration and creativity
already held inspect facility sites information skills
already held manage engineering project management skills
already held electrical power safety regulations engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held approve engineering design communication, collaboration and creativity
already held mechanical engineering engineering, manufacturing and construction

All 12 carried skills, including the 11 the substation engineer role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 33 missing skills fall into 9 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 engineering, manufacturing and construction 7 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held engineering processes required
required, not held electric current required
required, not held electrical discharge required
required, not held electrical engineering required
required, not held electricity consumption required
required, not held electricity principles required
required, not held mechanics required

optional, not held electric generators optional
optional, not held transmission towers optional

02 assisting and caring 3 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held ensure compliance with environmental legislation required
required, not held ensure compliance with safety legislation required
required, not held ensure safety in electrical power operations required

optional, not held wear appropriate protective gear optional

03 working with machinery and specialised equipment 1 required, 5 supplementary

required, not held operate electronic measuring instruments required

optional, not held manage electricity transmission system optional
optional, not held respond to electrical power contingencies optional
optional, not held adjust voltage optional
optional, not held install circuit breakers optional
optional, not held maintain electrical equipment optional

04 information skills 1 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held make electrical calculations required

optional, not held assess financial viability optional
optional, not held ensure compliance with electricity distribution schedule optional

05 communication, collaboration and creativity 1 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held adjust engineering designs required

optional, not held manage workflow processes optional

06 working with computers 1 required

required, not held create CAD drawings required

3 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a substation engineer role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 12 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held approve engineering design skill
already held design electric power systems skill
already held electrical power safety regulations knowledge
already held engineering principles knowledge
already held inspect facility sites skill
already held manage engineering project skill
already held mechanical engineering knowledge
already held perform project management skill
already held perform scientific research skill
already held technical drawings knowledge
already held use technical drawing software skill
already held CAD software knowledge

The 3 learning areas not shown above

Skill to acquire Tier

07 constructing 4 supplementary

optional, not held monitor electric generators optional
optional, not held inspect overhead power lines optional
optional, not held inspect underground power cables optional
optional, not held test procedures in electricity transmission optional

08 management skills 3 supplementary

optional, not held develop electricity distribution schedule optional
optional, not held develop strategies for electricity contingencies optional
optional, not held supervise electricity distribution operations optional

09 business, administration and law 1 supplementary

optional, not held electricity market optional

19 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held develop electricity distribution schedule optional
optional, not held develop strategies for electricity contingencies optional
optional, not held manage electricity transmission system optional
optional, not held monitor electric generators optional
optional, not held respond to electrical power contingencies optional
optional, not held supervise electricity distribution operations optional
optional, not held adjust voltage optional
optional, not held assess financial viability optional
optional, not held electric generators optional
optional, not held electricity market optional
optional, not held ensure compliance with electricity distribution schedule optional
optional, not held inspect overhead power lines optional
optional, not held inspect underground power cables optional
optional, not held install circuit breakers optional
optional, not held maintain electrical equipment optional
optional, not held manage workflow processes optional
optional, not held test procedures in electricity transmission optional
optional, not held transmission towers optional
optional, not held wear appropriate protective gear optional

25 held skills the substation engineer role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role CAM software knowledge
not needed by the target role automation technology knowledge
not needed by the target role draw blueprints skill
not needed by the target role electricity knowledge
not needed by the target role electronics principles knowledge
not needed by the target role energy efficiency knowledge
not needed by the target role energy micro-generation technologies knowledge
not needed by the target role energy transformation knowledge
not needed by the target role examine engineering principles skill
not needed by the target role hydroelectricity knowledge
not needed by the target role marine energy knowledge
not needed by the target role oceanography knowledge
not needed by the target role operate scientific measuring equipment skill
not needed by the target role perform risk analysis skill
not needed by the target role project management knowledge
not needed by the target role promote environmental awareness skill
not needed by the target role promote innovative infrastructure design skill
not needed by the target role promote sustainable energy skill
not needed by the target role renewable energy knowledge
not needed by the target role research ocean energy projects skill
not needed by the target role resource-efficient technologies knowledge
not needed by the target role troubleshoot skill
not needed by the target role use CAD software skill
not needed by the target role use CAM software skill
not needed by the target role use personal protection equipment skill

10 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

required, not held engineering processes required
required, not held electric current required
required, not held electrical discharge required
required, not held electrical engineering required
required, not held electricity consumption required
required, not held electricity principles required
required, not held mechanics required
optional, not held electric generators optional
optional, not held electricity market optional
optional, not held transmission towers optional

Index

Other moves recorded from hydropower engineer

Full index of moves from hydropower engineer

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.